How close will the approach of the Moon and Venus be?
A spectacular sky show featuring the Moon and Venus
The night sky will offer a spectacular sky show on Thursday night as the Moon and Venus make a spectacularly close approach. A rare event that cannot be missed, both bodies of the solar system will make a dramatic close approach in the night sky—a sight not to miss.
What to expect
The Moon and Venus will appear to pass close to each other in the night sky on Thursday evening. The Moon will be near its full phase, while Venus will be at its brightest.
As evening falls the apparent distance between the two celestial bodies will slim down and will appear closest just after 8:00pm local time. Don’t worry if you’re a bit late for the show, even an hour later the show will still be going full force.
Where to look
People looking in the direction of the southwestern horizon will find the Moon and Venus closest together. The two will be in line with the much larger planet Jupiter, giving a great reference point from which to give you an idea of their proximity.
How best to observe
The Moon and Venus will be best seen by the naked eye without the need for any telescopes or binoculars.
Although the Moon and Venus will be very close together, Venus will appear several times brighter than the Moon.
What you’ll need to take part?
All you need to take part in viewing this spectacular show of the Moon and Venus forming an uncanny couple in the night sky is a clear sky and the following:
- A comfortable spot: Find a spot outdoors, away from any street lights and with a clear view towards the Southwest
- A comfortable chair or blanket: sitting or lying down will help you take in the surroundings of the night sky
- Patience: it may take some time for you eyes to adjust to the darkness of the night sky, but once you’ve let your eyes adjust to the night, will you be rewarded with a very special twilight show.
So don’t miss out on this beautiful celestial event, bundle up and enjoy the show!
Sky enthusiasts were gifted with a spectacular view Sunday evening as the Moon and Venus gathered in the western sky shortly after sunset. This impressive cosmic pairing captivated viewers’ attention not only because of its remarkable visual beauty, but also due to its rarity. Known as a planetary conjunction, this unforgettable celestial event will not occur again until April 2021.
When viewed in the night sky, a planet crossing the path of the Moon is referred to as an occultation. During the rare Sunday occurrence, Venus passed just 4.16 degrees away from the Moon. This sublime view was also remarkable for how far away the two appeared from each other to casual observers. A similar event occurred in December of 2019, but the gap between the two bodies was a mere 1.3 degrees.
For those with the means to take an up close view of this remarkable celestial display, an astronomical telescope with a standard 20mm eyepiece would do the trick. For those unable to observe, rare photographs of this event have begun appearing on social media, providing a glimpse of the remarkable duo in the evening sky.
Sunday’s Moon-Venus conjunction will not be the last attractive evening sight in the sky this summer. In the upcoming weeks, Mars and Saturn will also be visible to observers and, in late July, Jupiter and Saturn will also converge. The night sky clearly provides a special opportunity for connectivity and for understanding our place in the universe.